Apparatus for treating sewage



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Y J. J.-POWERS. APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE.

No. 499,583. Patented June 13, 1893.

INVENTOH tut m,

A TTORN E Y S.

WITNESSES:

mi Nuflms pzrzns co, mowurnn, WASHINGTON. n. c,

v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. J. POWERS. APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE.

Patented June 13, 1893.

IN VE N T05 WITNESSES:

A TTOHNE Y S.

mz wimms rzrzn co. PuoYo-u'ma, WASHINGTON. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. POWERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE.

S PECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 499,583, dated June 13, 1893.

Application filed November 11, 1892. Serial ITO-451,658- (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES J. PoWERs, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Treating Sewage, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a plan View, partly in section, of my improvedfiapparatus for treating sewage. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a ratchet valve for admitting water to the lime tank. Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on line m0c in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the valve for admitting chemicals. Fig. 5 is a diametrical section of the appara tus, showing the central portion filled with sewage which has been treated, with the apparatus nearly ready to discharge. Fig. 6 is a diametrical section showing the discharging valve in operation. Fig. 7 is a similar section showing the floats depressed and the parts in position to discharge the chemicals into the receiving end of the apparatus. Fig. Sis an enlarged transverse section, taken on line 31-11 in Fig. 1 of one of the weirs. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sect-ion of the dip board, taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 10 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the screens.

Similarletters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my invention is to provide an effective apparatus for chemically treating sewage so as to purify it before it is discharged into streams or upon the land.

My invention consists in a tank made in duplicate, each half being provided with labyrinthic sluiceways for the passage of sewage, and in the combination with the sluices, of weirs and screens for holding back the solid matter, and dip boards for retaining oily matter and other floating substances.

It also consists in the combination with the sluices, of apparatus for introducing the chemicals, a receptacle for the treated sewage, and an automatic discharge siphon, all as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the present case 1 have shown my improved apparatus built up in circular form, but I do not limit or confine myself to this particular form, as rectangular sluice-ways or sluices built on any other plan answer equally well. The wall A incloses a circular space which is divided diametrically by the wall B, which is branched at the inlet end of the apparatus, forming the two walls a, a, which support the sewer pipe b, which is branched, the arm 0 of the said pipe extending through the branch wall a and the arm 0' extending through the branch wall a. The two opposite halves C, O, of the apparatus being exactly alike, one description will answer for both. The branch 0 of the sewer pipe I) delivers the sewage to the sluice d, which is bounded by the outer wall -A and inner wall 6, which is concentric with the outer wall. The inner wall 6 extends from the branch wall a toward the partition wall B, leaving a space, the width of which is nearly the same as that of the sluice, through which the sluice d communicates with the sluice f, the said sluice being bounded by the wall e and the wall 9 which is concentric with the said wall 6, and the sluicefdischarges into the sluice h over the weir i, and the sluice h, which is bounded by the wall 9 and the weir j, discharges over the weir it into the central receiver D. The sewage in flowing through the sluice d, passes under the dip board Z, which extends across the sluice and near the end thereof, and projects far enough into the flowing stream to retain the floating matter such as grease and like solid substances, and in the sluice f near the receiving end thereof, is inserted a screen m, which strains out the larger particles of ,solidmatter and allows the fiuid portions to pass on, and in the said sluice near the discharging end thereof,is arranged a second dip board Z for retaining any floating matter that may pass the dip board Z, and beyond the dip board is arranged a second screen m for catching the solid particles that pass through the screen m. The liquid contained in the sluice f is discharged into the sluice h over the weir 'i, and the great bulk of sedimentary matter is retained in the sluicejf by the wall g. The sluice h discharges the fluid matter over the weir into the central receptacle D.

Upon the wall 6, at the head of 'the sluice d, is placed a box n, which is filled with lime or equivalent disinfecting material, the said box being connected with a pipe 0 which communicates with a ratchet valve p, operated by the float q, the said valve being in communication with the water supply pipe 1", so that whenever the float rises, the valve shown in Figs. 2 and 3 will be opened or closed, the opening and closing being in alternation. The valve is provided with a plug 8, furnished with series of equidistant aperturest and intermediate blank spaces u. The shank of the plug is furnished with a ratchet wheel '0, having as many teeth as there are blank spaces and apertures in the plug of the valve, the said ratchet wheel being operated by a pawl 'w carried by the float lever q. When the float rises, if one of the apertures of the plug sis opposite the aperture of the casing, the rising of the float will turn the valve plug so as to bring one of the blank spaces opposite the opening in-thecasing, thus closing the valve. The next rise of the float turns the valve plug another space, causing another space of. the plug to coincide with the opening of the valve casing, thus again opening the valve, the valve being alternately opened and closed in this manner. It will be seen that with this construction, it the valve is closed when the float rises, it will bring the ports opposite the inlet and outlet passages of the valve, and when it again rises it will bring blank spaces opposite these inlets and outlets, thereby causing the valve to alternate in its action. As the water enters the box n, it bubbles up through the lime and carries the finely divided particles of lime into the sewage. A pipe a which opens in position to discharge into the sluice d is connected with a chemical tank 19 which contains a solution of per-chloride of iron or permanganate of potash. The said tank is provided with a three-ported valve E, shown in Fig. 4. The valve casing of the valve E is provided with three ports, and the. plug is also provided with three ports, and the plug of the valve is connected with the float arm by which the said plug receives its motion. The plug of the said valve is turned first in one direction and then in the other by the oscillation of the float lever 0 which, carries the float d which is acted upon by theliquid contained, in the central compartment D. When the water rises the float opens the valve E, and allows the contents of the chemical tank I) to be discharged through the pipe a into the head of the sluice d. Whenthe water falls, the float drops and shuts off communication with the pipe 0, and opens communication with the pipe e which is connected with a larger chemical tank, thereby allowing the tankl) to be refilled preparatory to being again discharged into the solution in the manner already described.

Beyond the discharge end of thesluice h is arranged a discharge passage f communicating with pipes for carrying away the disinfected sewage. A siphon F, communicates between the central compartment D and the passage f and is provided on its discharge end with a Weighted valve which is designed to retain some of the liquid in the descending arm of the siphon, causing it to automatically start when the liquid in the central compartment D rises above the bend of the siphon. The said siphon is thus seen to be au'tomatic in its action. Whenever the central compartment D is sufliciently filled it overflows through the siphon, thus starting it, and the siphon beingof sufficient capacity, withdraws the liquid from the central compartment with greater rapidity than the in-fiow.

In the several sluices are .arranged perforated pipes I'I, H,H which are placed below thelevel of the surface of the liquid contained in the sluices, and are connected with a chlorine generator, and chlorine. gas is forced into the sewage in its progress through the apparatus, thus destroying the germs which may be carried by the sewage, atv the same time disinfecting both the liquid and. thesolid matter.

Having. thus described my invention, 1'

ranged to discharge intothe-central reservoir D, dip-boards and strainers placed in the sluices which arrest floating and submerged matter carried in thesewage, perforated pipes placed in the sluices and communicating with the chlorine gas supply, siphons communicat .ing between the central reservoirs and the waste pipe,-so as to cause an intermittent discharge of the reservoirs, and a disinfecting tank furnished with float-operated. automatic valves for admitting disinfect-ants to the centralreservoirs and to the inlet end of the sluices, substantially as specified.

2. In an apparatus for treating sewage,-the combination, with a series of sluices, dipboards depending from the top of the said sluices and adapted to retain any matter floating upon the sewage, and screens for arresting submerged matter carried in the sewage, of weirs for controlling the final discharge of the treated sewage, substantially as specified.

JAMES J. POWERS. 

